Thrice Defied Him
by erisedxdesire
Summary: James Potter is so in love that he would kill for Lily Evans. The only problem for James is that, given the chance, Lily Evans would kill him. Can Lily get over a feud that's gone on ever since her first year and give James a chance?
1. Plans, Plotting, and Punctuality

**(chapter 1)  
**Plans, Plotting, and Punctuality

_Thrice Defied Him _was originally the title of another fic of mine before I changed it to _Lily Gets Her Letter_, to clear up any confusion there might be.  
All characters, excluding Farah (so far) belong to the infamous J.K. Rowling, not myself. sigh  
If anyone has suggestions or constructive criticism, email me at or just put it in your review.  
I'd like to give LOTS of thanks to my beta reader, Jackie, who was a LOT of help with this fic. Thanks Jackie!  
Well… here goes:

* * *

_James' POV:_

I can't believe I let Lily get me in detention _again_. Okay – it wasn't _completely _her fault, but she knows good and well that I can't concentrate when she sits in front of me in Charms! But there is an upside; Lily's landed _herself_ in detention for once with her snide comments. The best part is, she's serving detention with me!

I can't wait, or hold in my excitement for that matter. So far, I've tackled Sirius and Peter with the good news. They skipped out on Charms to visit Moony. Speaking of ol' Remus…

"Remus!" I yelled as I barged into the Hospital Wing. I'll hold off on tackling him until later; after all, he had his werewolf transformation lastnight. Remus made such a _great_ audience for my story. He makes the most stunning "shocked" faces I've ever seen. Maybe he ought to think about acting… But leave it to Moony to burst my big, happy bubble and bring me crashing back to Earth.

"That's great, James! But have you considered that Lily is probably even less pleased with you than _usual_ after you landed her in detention?"

"I did _not_ get her into detention! _I_ didn't make her call me a… _hairy baboon_." I flinched a little. I hate it when Lily calls me names, even though I'm certain she's masking her obsessive affections…

"Whatever you say, Prongs."

Sometimes Moony makes me want to hit him.

"Also," Oh, great. Here he goes again. "You'll more than likely be under strict supervision in detention. It's not like you can make her fall head-over-heels in love with you while scrubbing trophies in muck with Filch."

Remus is _very_ lucky that he's in the Hospital Wing right now… I think Remus has realized the murderous look on my face, because his eyes are really wide. "Madame Pomfrey! Er… could you bring me some… new bandages?"

I left the Hospital Wing with considerably lower spirits than when I went in. I went to find Sirius. He'll help me form a plan to woo my redheaded goddess.

* * *

_Lily's POV:_

"James Eugene –" I couldn't help but giggle. Eugene is such a funny name "– Potter is the most insufferable prat that has ever roamed the halls of Hogwarts."

"Relax, Lily. You shouldn't have sat in front of the poor boy in Charms in the first place. You know how he gets…"

And Farah Adelese is the _second_ most insufferable prat that has ever roamed the halls of Hogwarts, for taking his side. No… Farah is the third. James' best friend and fellow Marauder, Sirius Black, is the second.

"Farah, you don't get it! It's not just the fact that I've got detention; it's that Potter practically _stalks_ me. If he could move on to someone else – there are _plenty_ of other fifth years for him to obsess over – I wouldn't have detention in the first place!"

"Look at the bright side, Chumpkin. You get to serve detention with _James Potter_, sexy Quidditch player, charming hunk, and best friend to Sirius Black!" Chumpkin. I _hate_ that nickname. Another reason to loathe Potter, as well. It's his fault I'm stuck with the ridiculous name in the first place. He tried to call me "chipmunk" once, and it came out wrong. Farah has never let me live it down. I ignored it for now, though, to respond to the worse part of her statement.

"Farah, you know just as well as anyone that I'm the last person to enjoy the presence of James Potter. And what does Sirius have to do with it?"

"He's a hunk, of course."

Sometimes I doubt the sanity of Farah Adelese. She had a thing for Peter Pettigrew, once… We both try to forget that.

I sighed. "Just suck it up, Lily. You can take it!" I'll have to. It's either suck it up, or look like a depressed mess in front of Potter, and be teased about it for the rest of my life.

_

* * *

_

_James' POV_

Remus doesn't know what he's talking about. I can _totally_ woo my sweet Lily in detention. She's completely besotted with me!

"Potter, if you look at me like that one more time, I swear I'll hex you into next week!"

Even if she tries to pretend she's not. I know _all about_ the urges going through her mind. Any moment now, she's going to give in to them and push me against a trophy case – right in front of Filch – and admit everything. Her journal filled with extensive love poems about the two of us, my picture hidden under her pillow…

"Potter! Pay attention to the cleaning. If you don't hurry up and get serious, we'll be here all night."

"You say that like it's a bad thing, my little Chumpkin," I said and put my arm around her. "Besides, it's your fault we're here in the first place."

She shoved my arm away. Out of rage or nervousness, I don't know, but I didn't like it either way. "_I'm_ the reason we're here? _You're_ the one who wasn't paying attention to Professor Flitwick!"

"Ah, yes, but _I_ wasn't paying attention because _you_ we're sitting in front of me. You know how I get when you do that." Completely distracted staring at that strikingly gorgeous head of red hair, that's how I get. "And let's not forget your little… comment to dear ol' Flitwick." Lily looks so cute when she's angry… "A hairy baboon, was it, that you called him?"

"That comment was for you and you know it!"

If Lily looks so ravishing when she's mad… I've never seen her _happy_. She never laughs around me. I'll have to try my luck at that… I'll have my moment soon enough, whenever trusty Sirius and our ally Mr. Peeves provide a distraction for Filch…

"_CRASH!"_

There it is… the distraction. By the sound of it, Sirius and Peeves had worked it out – whatever they did – so that Filch would have to walk as far away from Lily and I as possible, while still being able to hear the commotion from here when it happened.

"I'll be right back," Filch said. "And don't you two try sneaking out!"

I put on my most innocent face. "Don't worry, Mr. Filch! I'll be perfectly _wonderful_." It's amazing how much a salute can bother someone, especially when they're busy. Filch walked out of the trophy room grumbling about Peeves. Filch _hates_ Peeves.

Lily just got a deer-in-the-headlights look on her face. She looks beautiful with _any_ kind of look on her face… "You had something to do with this, didn't you?" Her voice shook. "Nervous, Lily? It's nothing to be ashamed of! I mean, any girl would want to faint at her luck, being alone in a room with me."

I've _never_ been punched in the stomach before – I prefer hexes to actual physical contact – but it sure hurts. "What was that for?" It feels like all of the breath just got sucked out of my lungs. She's a girl! How did she do that?

"For everything."

"A nice kiss would've been more appropriate, Chumpkin!"

"Really? Not from me, I hope. Jane Midgen is single… Maybe I can talk her into kissing you."

Ew. Ew, ew, ew. "She's all… _pimply_. You can't do that to me! You don't want to. Especially when you'd be _fuming_ with jealousy!" That ought to put her in her place. Wait – wasn't I going to try to make her laugh?

"Hey Lily, why did the chicken cross the road?"

"_What_?"

Okay – different approach. _Everyone_ laughs when they're being tickled, even Remus. Wow… Lily even looks smashing when she's scared! "It's okay, Lily. Tickling never hurt anyone." That was a bit of a lie. Remus and I hung Snivellus by his pants and tickled him once. By his screams… I assume it hurt a little. A lot. But Lily didn't need to know that; she disapproves of my fellow Marauders and I giving Snape what he deserves in the first place.

"Tickling?" Lily backed herself into a corner. She can't escape me now! I reached over to tickle her, and got the breath knocked out of me all over again. How in the world did I fall for that _twice_? Wait – I'm a wizard! "_Rictusempra!"_ Finally, the girl got to laughing. Lily angry is absolutely _nothing_ compared to Lily happy. Okay – not exactly _happy_, but _laughing_.

"P-Potter! You better s-stop-" the poor thing can't even get the words out.

"Stop tickling you? Oh, no, my Chumpkin. Not after those punches. _In fact_…" I performed another little spell. "_Wingardium Leviosa,_" I said, flicking my wand. It amazes me how often I use the spells I learned in first year.

"POTTER!"

"Calm down, flower. What's your favorite spell? Can't get the words out? I'll just tell you mine, then. I _adore_ summoning spells." I murmured the spell and Lily flew toward me. Summoning spells aren't my best; I'm actually more of a Transfiguration kind of guy. That's my excuse for Lily tumbling right into me. Apparently, knocking the breath out of the person that cast a spell on you reverses the spell they cast, because Lily was no longer laughing.

"James Eugene –" Lily giggled a little. What's so funny about my middle name? True, I find it a little embarrassing, but _others_ aren't allowed to laugh at it, especially my true love! "- Potter! I though you were low before, but now-"

"Miss Evans, Mr. Potter. I've got more important things to take care of now than watching a couple of kids clean." Thank Merlin for Filch walking in. I don't know if I can handle any more stomach punching. "You're dismissed."

I regret having to leave Lily, but I will anyway, because I don't fancy the prospect of the breath knocked out of my lungs, especially when she's angry. Sirius should be waiting for me by the one-eyed statue…

_

* * *

Lily's POV:_

Pacing through the trophy room sure helps me get out my rage. The filth on my skin is going to take _forever_ to clean off. No, not the trophy dust, but the grime of _Potter_. As satisfied as I was at the effect my punch to the stomach had on Potter – he seemed genuinely surprised – I didn't like much that I had to touch him to do it.

The nerve of him! Tickling me like – a piece of parchment on the floor? It must have fallen out of Potter's cloak. I think I'll keep it for myself. The git deserves something taken from him, even if it is just an old bit of parchment.

I strolled out into the hall, making my way up to Gryffindor Tower.

"Ready?" I heard someone say. I stopped dead.

Tonight has proven to be a very exciting night. First punching Potter, now whispering in the hallway. I crept toward the whispering. Who else should I have expected, but the Marauders?

"What do you mean you can't find it?"

Remus looked outraged. "After all the time we put into that map!"

"I bet Lily's got it…"

I listened while Potter told them about the detention. It scares me how rude guys are in public, but they're even worse in private! I almost vomited, between Sirius asking if James saw my knickers and Pettigrew's "did you snog her?"

In my pocket, at this very moment, is something extremely important to the Marauders. A map, apparently. I've always read about blackmail cases in books, but I've never dealt with one in real life. Farah will find this _very_ intriguing…

_

* * *

Farah's POV:_

Normally, my best friend Lily is the most prompt, punctual person in the history of Hogwarts – but not tonight. Merlin forbid the girl be on time tonight, leaving me pulling at my hair in anticipation.

Okay… I'm completely exaggerating. But I'm just so bored! "Wait up for me," she said before she left for detention, "so you can comfort me while I tell you all about my sure-to-be scarring experience."

Well, I'm waiting. She's got me pacing the dorm, waiting for her to get back and tell me everything. Lily's got detention with _James Potter_! Now Lily is a very strong-willed girl, I know. James has been asking her out since the Hogwarts Express at the start of this term, and she's held out against him for almost _2 months_ already! I don't know anyone else who can do that. But even Lily and the hatred for James she's been harboring since first year can't resist for long that hunky, loveable, sexy, Quidditch-playing -

"Miss me?"

When a girl walks in a room with flushed cheeks, any sane 15-year-old girl – or guy, for that matter - would assume that she's been snogging. And I am most certainly a sane 15-year-old girl. "Chumpkin! I _knew_ you'd give in to that Potter charm eventually-"

I have quite a few interesting talents, but unfortunately for me, there's one that doesn't involve being able to swallow a noodle and pull it back out of my throat – jumping to conclusions, and _always_ being wrong about them. Okay, so it's not exactly a talent… more like a curse.

"Farah Adelese! I have _not_ given in to that insufferable git!"

"Sorry, Lily." So I was wrong. Apparently, the red fused in her cheeks was caused by rage, not snogging.

"But I _do_ have the best news ever!" Wrong again. Why am I always wrong?

"Good news, Lily, after a detention with your enemy? Or maybe he's not your enemy anymore, and you're hiding it from –"

"Farah, I've got _blackmail_ on the Marauders!" Blackmail… My favorite kind of mail – to send, of course, not receive. Some people prefer orange mail, and the particularly strange ones like animal print, but I -

"Do you realize what this _means_?"

"Of _course_ I realize what this means, Chumpkin." Her cheeks turned red a little. I _love_ the effect that calling her Chumpkin has. I thank Potter for that lovely little nickname. Had he learned how to talk correctly, I would never have though of calling Lily 'Chumpkin'. "It _means_ I can blackmail Sirius into a broom closet with me." Sirius Black is the most gorgeous being ever to have stepped foot in the Great Hall…

"No, _Pet_. It means I can make Potter quit stalking me." Pet. I hate that name. I guess it's payback for me calling her 'Chumpkin', but the fact that I deserve it a little doesn't make it any less cruel. 'Pet' was derived from the name **Pet**er **Pet**tigrew, because I had a thing for him once. I try not to think of that, though.

"Why would you want Potter to quit stalking you?" Has the girl never actually _looked_ at him before?

"You know just as well as anyone that I can't stand him. And Potter only likes me because he can't have me, anyway. If I put an end to the foolishness now, I can save myself from years of embarrassment."

Lily can be a big, blind idiot sometimes. She doesn't think ahead. Has she _never_ considered that one day she might actually _like _Potter? She'll regret rejecting him now.

"So what is this blackmail over?" It better be good, or she'll have gotten up my hopes of Sirius in a broom closet for nothing. Sirius, me, dark closet… Merlin, he's gorgeous!

Lily pulled a blank piece of parchment out of her robe.

"And old bit of parchment? _This_ is your blackmail? I was expecting proof that they set Snape's robes on fire last week, but Lily…" Potter must have cast a Confundus charm on the poor girl…

"No, Farah, I'm not crazy." Is Lily an Occlumens? I've never considered it before, but that would sure explain a lot.

"Prove it."

"I heard the Marauders whispering in the hall about something that fell out of Potter's pocket during detention. A map." She pointed to the parchment sitting on her bed. "That. That map – I'm sure it's got concealing charms on it – is how they manage to pull off all their stunts. I'll bet you anything it shows every passage they've ever discovered at Hogwarts, and a lot more, I'm sure."

Honestly, Lily doesn't think sometimes. I guess I'll have to point out the obvious for her. "Why use it for blackmail, when we can use it for ourselves? _Think_, Chumpkin! Marauder secrets at our fingertips…"

"I've already thought of that. We've just got to figure out how to work the thing, first, and form a good plan…"

Lily is an absolute genius. Who else would have thought up her brilliant plan? Okay – the Marauders themselves probably would have, but Lily won't be flattered to hear that, so I'll keep it to myself. Finding the passage to Hogsmeade will be the easy part. It's surprising the Marauders when we get there that will be a little difficult.

"There happens to be a flaw in your brilliant plan, though, Miss Evans."

"What's that?"

"We don't know how to work this map yet."

"Well, then, we'll have to fix that. Let's get some sleep first, though; trophy cleaning is exhausting, especially with Potter staring at you the whole time. We'll work on it in the morning, and we've got the whole weekend to spare. After that, we can get down to the fun part of the plan, the blackmail." Lily giggled. "It _is_ a brilliant plan, isn't it? I'm such a genius to think of it."

Honestly, she calls _James_ conceited?

* * *

Well... that's all for chapter 1! R&R, please!  
And thanks again to Jackie...

:Savanna:


	2. Like a First Year Girl

**(chapter 2)  
**Like A First Year Girl

Wow... it's been forever since I posted on this! Thanks again to my beta, Jackie! And to all the reviewers (see bottom)! You guys rock my socks... lol...  
Here goes...

* * *

_Sirius' POV_

Discovering Easy Cheese was the best thing that ever happened to me. Who would've ever thought to put cheese in a can? I think muggles have a lot to teach wizard kind… Moony's mum just happens to be muggle-born, and I just happened to raid Moony's mail from this morning; he was still in the Hospital Wing, so he couldn't get it himself. Actually, he should be back to the dorm any minute.

I've always known that I hold a special place for cheese in my heart - er… stomach. I knew from the first time I went to Diagon Alley with my cousin Andromeda and bought cheese-flavored ice cream at Florean Fortescue's. In fact, cheese plays a major role of one of my many mottos: _Everything tastes better with cheese._

"Prongs, mate, would you do me a favor and toss me the crackers?" James was spreading peanut butter over his crackers, instead of cheddar Easy Cheese like myself.

"Sure."

"Thanks. You know, James, I've put a lot of thought into this, and I've finally decided that cheese and crackers are the best combination of all time." It's true; _nothing_ tops cheese and crackers.

"I beg to differ, Padfoot. _Peanut butter_ _and chocolate_ are the best combination of all time."

Now James has some pretty outrageous ideas sometimes, but he's never topped this one.

"You're crazy."

"No, I'm not. You seem to forget that I won our last food-related argument. _Everything_ tastes good with peanut butter, and chocolate is certainly no exception." James feels the same way about peanut butter as I do about cheese. I'm surprised our friendship has survived this long with that major conflict sitting right smack dab in the middle of it.

"You did _not_ win that argument."

"Did, too!"

"I found two things that don't taste good with peanut butter, and you found two things that don't taste good with cheese. It was a _tie_."

As much as it pains me to admit it, there are, indeed two things that just don't mix with cheese. Sugar cookies and peanut butter. But there are two things that don't mix with peanut butter, as well. Turkey and Cheese. I'm sure I could think of more if I put my mind to it, though. It's a little ironic, I think, that our two favorite foods don't mix, yet James and I get along so well. At least that's what Remus says.

"Sirius, I won and you're just too much of a sore loser to admit it!"

I can't let James get away with that, now can I?

It's absolutely amazing how much sound a pillow to the face can muffle. It amazes me, as well, how James can appear so charming to the ladies – excluding Lily – yet look so horrible when a simple change is made to his face. I'm sure _I_ would still look simply ravishing hanging upside down with cheese all over _my_ face.

"Sirius Black! Put me down before I tell Remus you ate all his cheese!"

"I didn't eat _all_ of it!" There's still a little left… Enough for a couple of crackers.

"Then put me down before I tell Remus you ate _most_ of his cheese. He's not going to be too happy with you-"

Speaking of the werewolf… I wonder how scared he was when he walked in to the lovely little scene.

"Heya, Remus!" I said, a little too excitedly to be believable to most people, but Moony is gullible.

"Hey to you, too, Sirius!" I hate it when he gives me that I'm-pretending-to-be-excited look. Maybe he's not so gullible after all. Oops… _Peter_ is the gullible one. "This is such a nice little… exhibit for me to come back from the Hospital Wing, to, huh? I mean, what guy wouldn't love to see his friends eating his food and fighting like first year girls?" He chuckled. I hate that chuckle, too, the I'm-brushing-this-off-because-they're-weird chuckle.

"Ahhh! Help!" James has such a girly scream, especially when an owl is attacking his cheese-covered face.

"James, I think Lily has trained her owl to hate you just as much as she does. Speaking of your _redheaded goddess_, have you talked to her about the map that you lost? _Hopefully _we'll get it back." Redheaded goddess? Must be something between James and Moony…

"Tell Sirius to let me down and I'll tell you." Why do I have to let him down? He can tell Moony from where he's at.

"Let him down, Padfoot." They didn't say I had to let him down easy…

"OUCH! Sirius that hurt! You could've had me land on my bed or something!"

"Yeah… I could have. But where's the fun in that?"

Lily's owl just flew out the window. I wonder what it was doing here in the first place… "Pick that letter up, Prongs." Stupid owl dropped the letter on the floor…

"What does it say?" Remus asked.

"I don't know yet! I haven't even opened it!" James is touchy. "Remus, could you get this cheese off my face, which, by-the-way Sirius stole from your mum's package this morning."

"_Scourgify,_" Moony said. And I was enjoying that cheesed-over look on James! "Ah… it's okay. We both know how Sirius gets when cheese is around." Yes! I win again…

"Read the letter to us, Prongs. It's from Lily's owl. It could be a letter proclaiming her _undying love for you_!" James hates it when I mock him like that. That would be the number one reason why it's so much fun!

And Remus makes the lovely situation even _more_ amusing. "Or she could just be chewing you out about getting her in detention and tickling her. But hopefully it's about a spare bit of parchment she found on the floor – you know, the one we worked hard on just for you to lose it - and she's wanting to return it, but I doubt that." Wow… Remus sure can make people feel guilty when he wants to.

James face went all white. This can't be good! Well, his face _could be _white because Lily professed her love, but I don't think it's that. It's got to be something bad…

"Give me that letter." I know snatching the letter right out of his hand wasn't the nicest thing to do, but I'd have had to wait forever to read it if I hadn't.

_Marauders:_

_Farah and I have come across a most remarkable item. It appears to me that Mr. Potter dropped his map during detention. Yes, we know all about the Marauder's Map. Meet Farah and I at the Three Broomsticks at nine tomorrow night. We can discuss the… terms on which your map can be returned. And I would not suggest staying in your dorm for very much longer, for reasons that will stay unknown to you._

_- Lily Evans_

Merlin. Lily Evans has got my life in her hands, and I wouldn't put it past her to chop it in half and put it through the grinder. I'm doomed.

* * *

_Lily's POV_

I never really realized how smart I am, how utterly clever I happen to be, until I managed to hack into the Marauder's Map. Yes, that's what the guys called it – the Marauder's Map. How original…

The password fit them perfectly. _'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.'_ Only James and Sirius would think of that.

As much as I hate to admit it, though, it wasn't _completely _my genius that got Farah and I into the map. But Farah doesn't need to know that; it's much more fun to let her think I figured it out on my own. Tricking poor, gullible Peter – I've always wondered clumsy Peter fits in with the other Marauders – into telling me the password wasn't very difficult at all. And a simple memory charm made sure he can't let it slip to Farah that he's the reason I can now work the Marauder's Map.

_

* * *

Farah's POV _

Lily Evans is my hero. I think I'll get a shirt printed with that… I can't believe she got the Marauder's Map to work. I knew we'd get it eventually, but I didn't think it would be the very next day!

I've got to take some credit for myself, though. _I'm_ the genius behind the blackmail letter, and I'm the one that figured out the best way _ever_ to use the map.

Lily and I are meeting the Marauders in Hogsmeade tomorrow night, but we've still got the rest of today, and tonight to have fun with the Marauder's Map for ourselves. "They haven't left the dorm yet, Lily?"

"Nope."

"Oh." We've been watching the map for an hour now, ever since Lily sent the letter to the boys' dorm with her owl. They haven't left yet! Any sane person would drop that letter and run out of that dorm as soon as they'd read it. But I suppose it wouldn't make any sense to assume that the Marauders are sane.

"They're leaving!"

Finally… "Let's go, then."

_

* * *

Remus' POV _

"You're not leaving yet, Sirius! Just stay still!" I don't care if Lily and Farah really _did_ put some kind of trap in here. "We're not running off like a bunch of little girls. We're staying right here for a while, just to prove we're not sissies." Sissies? Why did I use the word _sissies_? I think the lycanthrope is getting to me…

"Yes, sir, captain, sir!" James looks like such an idiot when he salutes like that. As if he could ever pass for a soldier!

You never really know how strange your friends are until you have nothing to do but watch them. Sure, I knew that Sirius was obsessed with cheese, but I've never before noticed the euphoric look that somes over his face while he's eating it. He looks like a lost puppy now, though, because he just ate the last bit of it.

James looks like he's about to cry. He tries to pretend it doesn't hurt him when Lily isn't exactly civil to him, but it does. Myself, being so wise, can see _right through_ his little charade.

Chunky little Peter cracks me up. He came in about fifteen minutes after we read the letter, and looked completely confused at all of us sitting on our beds, quiet and subdued. But then I guess anybody would be puzzled at Padfoot not talking; it's not like that happened very ofteb. I handed him the letter. Peter wears his emotions on his sleeve. You can tell what he's thinking at a glance. I myself prefer to be more a more reserved and serene person. I don't like letting people know what I'm thinking – it's a sign of weakness.

I'm going to explode any minute now. I can't take doing nothing anymore. "Let's go, guys."

"Finally, Moony! I was wondering how long you could sit there before you cracked. I was thinking about all the things the girls could do with the map, and trust me, Moony – they weren't comforting thoughts." Good of ol' Sirius to lighten the mood… He's such an idiot.

So we walked out of the dorm. James looks really pale; I guess that's just when he's nervous.

_

* * *

Lily's POV _

One would think that jumping out at people when they turn corners is a bit immature. I did, when Farah suggested doing it, but I have completely changed my mind now that I've done it. Five times in one day already! You'd think they'd head back to their dormitory rather then scream like girls when we say "boo".

"Where are they, Lily?"

"Two hallways down. I think they're heading this way."

"Okay."

"What do you think about trying something a little different this time?" Another brilliant plan, coming right up…

"That would depend on what that _something different_ is." Farah's lying. It doesn't depend on what it is at all. She'll do anything to hear them scream again. I think she's developed an addiction to it…

"Well… I know we've got _memories_ of these little incidents, but I think the Marauders could do with some _physical_ scars." I'm such a mastermind. Now to figure out what those physical scars should -

"That sounds great, Chumpkin, but I've got a better idea." I wish she'd quit calling me Chumpkin…

"And what would that be?"

_

* * *

James' POV _

I am so embarrassed. Lily and Farah have got me screaming like a first year girl. I'm sending a lookout to every corner! It's Peter's turn.

"Hurry up, Wormtail! It won't be too hard. All you've got to do is walk to the end of the corridor and peek around the corner. It's simple, really. If _you_ scream, _we'll_ know not go go down there!" Sirius isn't the world's most soothing person. I think he just scared poor Peter even worse than he already was.

"I can do it! I'm not a baby…" Yes he is.

"You are, too!" Sirius speaks the truth; Peter is a big blubbering baby.

"Am not."

"Are, too!"

Okay, now I'm getting tired of this. "Stop fighting! Peter, just go check and see if the girls are there."

"Okay, okay, I'm going. You don't have to yell!"

"Yes he does." Sirius likes to start stuff, doesn't he?

"Does not!" Here we go again…

"Does, too!"

"STOP! Peter, go check the corner, NOW!" Wow… Remus can yell really loud when he wants to. I'll make a mental note not to cross him when he's scared.

Peter walks really funny. No… I can't really call it walking. It's more like… waddling. Yes, waddling. I think I shall start calling him my little penguin. He deserves it for being such a baby.

Peter laughs funny, too. Wait – why is he laughing? "What's going on down there? WORMTAIL! What so funny?" Why isn't he answering me? "Let's go check this out, guys."

I started walking with Moony and Padfoot down the corridor. Whatever's down there can't be too bad if Wormtail is laughing at it. Okay, he's always had a strange sense of humor, but –"

Now I know why Peter was laughing, and I'm not happy about it. "_Rictusempra_!" Oh, Merlin, what wrong with my stomach? Oh… Lily just cast a _tickling_ spell on me! Why in the world did I leave my wand in the dormitory? My red-headed goddess must be messing with my head…

"Ha…haha…" must… _not…_ giggle. That would only please her… Sirius is laughing uncontrollably, and so is Wormtail, and Remus – no, Remus isn't laughing at all! Is he not ticklish?

"How do you like the taste of your own medicine, Potter?" How come Lily's voice is so beautiful even when she's taunting me?

"I think… it… tastes pretty good…" I win!

"Really? _Accio James!_" Is she crazy? No, she's better than me at Charms – but not my much, I'd like to point out – and I probably won't knock her over like she did me.

Wow. I'm _really_ close to Lily; this is fun! I _can't_ let myself laugh, even though the rest of the guys are – not including Moony.

"See you guys at the Three Broomsticks tomorrow night," she said. What in the world? Oh, yeah – the blackmail letter; I forgot. She just wants to rub it in _more_! First Moony, and now her? "And be prepared for the absolute _worst_." She laughed. That can't be good.

"C'mon, Farah!" she yelled. "Let's _go_!" They ran down the hall, toward Gryffindor Tower. Great… I just got put in my place by the girl I'm in love with. Being a fifth year officially sucks.

* * *

FCgurl411 - Thank you so much! I hope you'll keep reading, even though HBP is out... 

Katie - Thanks a load for the constructive criticism. I _really_ appreciate it. I already had this chapter written when I got your review, so it didn't really follow it, but the next chapter will!

Betsy - Lovely review, thanks! I love compliments... lol.

the-honest-liar - lol... Eugene. Sorry about that... thanks for reviewing!

**EVERYONE:** Thank you guys sooooooo much for reviewing! I hope you'll keep it up! I love an interesting review... tell me a joke or something - not a dirty one, mind you; I don't want anyone getting in trouble. lol... Remember, constructive criticism (wow... I can never manage to spell that right the first time I try). Thanks again!

:Savanna:  
I hope you liked this one!


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